Tag Archives: life lessons our kids teach us

The sign reads:“We are happy at our church. We don’t want to chage [sic] at all our faith.”

As is happens, my eight-year-old decided to take matters into her own hands after being sequestered once again, with her brothers and mother, in the living room, hiding from the JW’s who were knocking determinedly on our front door last week. I thought that I hadÂ the JW visits handled, but I was WRONG.

Yes, I could have answered the door (again) and told them that we are not interested in discussing their religion with them (again) but I did not. I was in my jammies, I was a hot mess without the ‘hot’ bit and I just did not have it in me to slap a smile on my face and be pleasant in that moment. So I hurried my youngest four children into the living room and read to them from a David Walliams book we’ve been reading together until I was sure the JW’s had left.

And that’s when it happened.

That is when my eight-year-old decided that she was done being pushed around and set about writing up and posting this notice in our front door. It is completely her own phrasing and spelling and I just love it.

I love it for how well it shows her spirit. I love it for the conviction in her faith and beliefs that she is not afraid to own and I love it for the succinct manner in which she expressed her message. I love that she was smiling and happy while still being quietly fierce while creating her sign.

I’m telling you the truth now, every day, at least one of my children reminds me that he or she is absolutely #Goals for me. And then, of course, one of them will scream, cry or smack one of the others and the pandemonium that ensues wipes my memory clean of that fact. So, I’m putting this here to serve as a reminder to myself.

My other smalls want to post their own signs as well, but I think that for now, we’ll just let this one ride and see what happens. I have never hidden the fact that I have only the loosest of grips on normalcy and if I start posting all kinds of signs on our front door, it will only be a matter of time before I’m setting up billboards on the front lawn and really speaking my mind. And trust me, nobody is ready for that day.

As for this sign? Out of the mouth of babes, my friends.

~A.

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Share the post "The day when enough was enough, my girl came through."

Everyday I learn something new. And it’s not from reading it in a book (um, who has time to read anymore?!?) And it’s not from watching television (except I’m sure I could totally rock the whole Bering Sea crab fishing gig after I finish flipping cars in Texas), and it’s certainly not from checking Facebook, Twitter or Instagram (shocking, I know). No, everything I have learned has been from watching my children.

The five of them combined are grace, truth, creativity, ingenuity, positivity, beauty, wisdom, wit and strength personified. For the most part, they do not understand that if they want something that they cannot have it. Because in their minds, they can have it, they just need to figure out how to get it. (How many times have I wished I could believe this is true in my life? I’m getting closer to that belief watching my babes in action though).

Today is Miranda’s third birthday. She is a delight and a demon (the answer will depend on who you ask and when) but when she smiles, my world ceases to have problems. When she cries (her legitimate cry, not her boundary testing, patience-stretching three-year-old I’m-going-to-cry-until-your-ears-bleed-and-you-give-me-what-I-want cry), my heart aches in my chest for her. I love watching her learn about her world, conquer her fears and worries and take control of her environment. At three, she has not yet been told that it is not okay for a girl to speak her mind, so when she feels someone has crossed her line, she can often be heard saying things like “leave me alone! Get your hands offa me! I’m mad at you!” She doesn’t smile politely and take it. And I admire that. And I hope that as she grows and matures that she refines her delivery but does not soften her stance and start doubting her own right to 1) be heard and 2) be treated with respect. She will learn compromise and communication techniques, give-and-take will come, but I hope that she never gives so much that she loses her beautiful, fiery spirit. Happy Birthday, my Miranda.

Rocking the granny look. Shopping bag? Check! Sunglasses? Check! Bubba (Pacifier)? Check! She’s ready to own the shops. The only thing missing is the cane to whack people out of her way – LOL! Please, Ms. Moon. Never lose your sense of individuality, never lose your sense of self, and never let anyone tell you that you’re anything less than perfect. Just the way you are.P.S. This was taken in March, the pacifier and the winter coat are both distant memories now *grin*

My first born. Can’t believe how grown up he is, can’t believe how much we’ve been through together and cannot believe how incredible proud I am of the person he is and the man he is becoming. Hard working, artistic, strong and very personable. He’s been with me my whole adult life, was the reason I became an adult, really, and I don’t know what I would do without him. Life may send him for a loop sometimes, but he does not give up, he keeps working hard to figure out his life path and how to live his dreams and achieve his goals.

Mason – strong, fit and intense. Three things that I admire about him so much and something I aspire to be one day. He’s so smart and quick. Once he knows what he wants, the world better get out of his way, because he’s going to get where he wants to be, one way or another. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s cute as all get out too!

Paxton, four months away from being five years old, taught himself how to ride a two-wheeler yesterday. In well under an hour, he had mastered his new skill and was ready (in his mind) to go “speeding fast!” Once we shared the secret of braking, he stopped Flintstoning that bike and he was a pro. So proud of his determination, perseverance, and self-confidence. I love and admire his gentle, quirky spirit so much. Paxton, you “fill my bucket” * everyday.

An impromptu picnic in the backyard, Victoria Day weekend.. My smalls pulling funny faces and enjoying being outside together, eating peanut butter sandwiches. I am keeping this memory very close to my heart and using it to remember that it is okay to relax and just be silly for no reason at all.

Sharing, caring and smiling. I can’t remember a time that I didn’t love this kid’s smile. I called him my sunshine from the beginning and my sunshine he remains today. He works hard with his daddy, no matter what they are doing. He does not frustrate easily and is generally one of the happiest-go-lucky kids I am blessed to know. I wish I could learn his secret, I would be a better person if I were more like him. We all would be.

So many lessons to learn and I so want to be open and available to learn them all. I really need to figure out how to simplify my life to give myself time to not only learn the lessons my kids have to teach but to practice those lessons as well. Stream of consciousness to do list: Lunches to make, dishes to wash, husband to kiss, carpets to vacuum, laundry to wash, hang, fold, dinners to cook, errands to run, showers to take, kids to cuddle, vitamins to take and distribute, sunscreen to apply, boo boo’s to kiss and family to cherish. Not in that order, at all.

*to fill one’s bucket is to increase their happiness – at least I think that was the gist of Paxton’s explanation He learned about the concept at school 😉P.S. If you’ have not ‘Liked’ The Keswick Blog on Facebook or ‘Followed’ along on Twitter or checked out The Keswick Blog on Pinterest, then you’re missing out on micro-blogging that happens when time or circumstances do not allow for a full-blown blog entry 🙂 Come on over and share the insanity!P.P.S. So now The Keswick Blog is on Instagram , find thekeswickblog there to see some random things that do not make it to Facebook, Twitter or the blog – Too. Many. Sites. Where will it end? *thud*

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Micro-blogging, Keswick-style

Snack bin for the kids all prepped and ready for the weekend! (That’s my version of optimism - this bin will be empty by Saturday night 😂). ****************************************************
#TheKeswickBlog… instagram.com/p/Bx2pZvbHt4B/…

(warning: video is loud 🙉
******************************************************** Yesterday, I cooked a $5.60 chicken in the crockpot. One of the boys had soccer, so only my husband had chicken for dinner. Tonight,… instagram.com/p/Bx0CDbGHC7C/…